John Bull


noun
  1. England; the English people.

  2. the typical Englishman.

Origin of John Bull

1
1705–15; named after John Bull, chief character in Arbuthnot's allegory The History of John Bull (1712)

Other words from John Bull

  • John Bullish, adjective
  • John Bullishness, noun
  • John Bullism, noun

Words Nearby John Bull

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How to use John Bull in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for John Bull

John Bull

noun
  1. a personification of England or the English people

  2. a typical Englishman

Origin of John Bull

1
C18: name of a character intended to be representative of the English nation in The History of John Bull (1712) by John Arbuthnot

Derived forms of John Bull

  • John Bullish, adjective
  • John Bullishness, noun
  • John Bullism, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for John Bull

John Bull

A figure who stands for England in literary and political satire and in cartoons. John Bull is a stout, feisty man, often shown in a suit made out of the British flag.

Notes for John Bull

John Bull is the British equivalent of the United States' symbol (see also symbol) Uncle Sam.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.